


Touch

by EvilInTheNight



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, First Kiss, M/M, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Trust Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-07
Updated: 2015-08-30
Packaged: 2018-04-13 10:05:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 4,947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4517727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EvilInTheNight/pseuds/EvilInTheNight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Everyone thought he was fine. The boy died once and he was brought back by the cradle. But the cradle only fixed bullet holes. It didn’t fix the hole in his heart.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

It was just another regular training day. Steve was in charge of Pietro’s and Natasha was helping Wanda out. Clint was with the witch too: she was practicing how to deal with moving targets and Clint’s arrows came in handy. The session was going smooth, until all of a suddenly Wanda froze, ignoring an arrow that flied right towards her. Natasha was just in time to pull Wanda away: the arrow still gave her cheek a scrape.

“Damn it! Wanda, you have to stay focused!” Natasha said as she examined the wound. But Wanda didn’t give a shit about that.

Clint narrowed his eyes. _There was only one thing that could get Wanda’s attention like that…_

“Natasha! Get me Wanda!” It was Steve who was calling across the training area, and there was panic in his voice.

 _Pietro._ Steve was training with the other Maximoff twins.

Wanda already ran towards her brother. “What did you do to him!” she yelled desperately, pushing Tony out of her way.

When Clint and Natasha reaches there, Wanda was kneeling on the floor, one hand over Pietro’s body, casting spells as red mist surrounded Pietro. The boy was struggling at first, screaming in silent and sweating, his eyes shut. It was painful to watch him suffered like that.

When the mist dissolved, Wanda sat on her legs, closed her eyes as she recovered from the energy lost.

“I put him down.” She said, sounding exhausted. “He wouldn’t calm down so I had to. He has never been like this before. Tell me what happened.”

“I asked Pietro if he could try to run at his maximum speed so that Tony can get some statistics and work on his running gear. He said it was okay. Then he ran for a while, his heartbeat was regular all the time, and when he stopped he looked normal…no running out of breath, his face wasn’t flushed either.” Steve paused, “Then I padded his shoulder and told him he did a good job.”

“He panicked.” Wanda murmured in a low voice. “What?” Tony asked. “He panicked. I felt it right before he dropped to the floor.” She said. “But why?”

“I will take him to the hospital bay.” Steve said, picking up the unconscious boy and carried him out of the training area.


	2. Chapter 2

“I thought he was in the hospital bay, not being locked up in some cellar!” A murderous Wanda stormed in the dining hall the next day, yelling at Tony who was casually scrolling his phone. “I asked the nurse there and she said he woke up at midnight, asking for Mr. Stark and then you took him away. Where did you take him?”  
“You know, if I were you, Maximoff, I would sit down, have a cup of tea, and start thinking about the why and not the where.” Tony said. “The boy interrupted me from my work last night telling him he wanted to be alone.”  
“Did he say why?” Natasha asked. “He said he was sorry for what happened, that it wasn’t Cap’s fault, and he looked scared.” Tony said. “He specifically asked for somewhere where he could be…isolated.”  
“So?” asked Wanda, “Where did you put him?”  
“A glass room on the same level of my lab.” Tony said, sipping his cup of black coffee.  
“Wait. Like the one you put Loki in?” Steve asked.  
“I swear, this one is way more comfortable.” Tony rolled his eyes.

“I want to see my brother.” Wanda gritted her teeth.  
“Give the poor boy some time----“ “I WANT TO SEE HIM NOW.”  
“Don’t you understand? I am just quoting Pietro: he wants you to give him some time!” Tony barked. “You may think you can fix everything, but he doesn’t think so.” He took a deep breath and softened his voice as he noticed how dispirited Wanda looked. “I’m sorry, honey, none of this is my idea.”  
“It’s…fine.” Wanda said, collecting herself. “I need some air.”  
She walked out of the hall without having breakfast. “Keep an eye on her, would you, Vision?” said Tony, rubbing the space between his knotted brows.  
The android nodded and marched out after Wanda.

Clint never glanced up as the two talked, but he was listening the whole time.  
Then I padded his shoulder and told him he did a good job.  
Steve touched Pietro right before he dropped to the floor.  
He specifically asked for somewhere where he could be…isolated.  
Something clicked, but Clint couldn’t quite place it yet.

Clint put down his coffee and walked out, heading to where Tony said he put the boy.  
Pietro didn’t say he need Clint to give him some time too, after all.


	3. Chapter 3

Clint found the room with the help of Friday. There’s a bed in the middle of the room, but Pietro was sitting on the floor, his hair a mess, and that look in his eyes was just…heartbreaking. “Hey, kid.” Clint said in a low and gentle voice. Pietro looked up, startled.

 

“Please don’t come in.” Pietro whispered. “I won’t.” Clint said, keeping a certain distance from the glass wall. Pietro was on the other side, sitting on the floor with his back against the wall. Clint kneeled on one knee so that their eyes were on the same level. “Don’t blame Tony, okay? I asked for this.” Pietro said. “I didn’t. Your sister looked like she was about to kill him, though.” Clint said. Pietro laughed. “That is the typical Wanda, isn’t it? She’s always trying to figure out what’s going on inside my head.”

 

“How are you feeling now?” Clint asked. He still remembered what he saw the other day, when Pietro laid on the floor and screamed in silent.

 

“I am fine now, I guess,” Pietro said as he rubbed his hands together nervously. “Didn’t know what came over me.”

 

“Can you recall what happened though?” Clint asked carefully. “Yes.” Pietro answered. “I remember everything crystal clear. We were just training, and everything was fine, until…Steve.” Pietro gasped and his pupils dilated in horror. “He touched me. They touched me, too. Pushed me onto the ground. They made me run, Clint, they made me, and if I don’t…”

 _Shit. Something went wrong._ Pietro was having some sort of flashback, and his words made no sense to Clint.

“Mr. Barton, should I alert Mr. Stark?” asked Friday.

Thanks god, Pietro snapped out of it himself. “No! I’m okay, Friday. No need to tell Mr. Stark someone visited, okay? Can you do that for me?” Pietro said. “If Mr. Stark does not ask that specific question, I do not have to give him that piece of information.” Friday replied. “Thank you.” Pietro sighed. He crawled across the room until he was right in front of Clint, separated by only the glass. “Don’t say anything to Wanda. Come back tomorrow.”

“I will.” Clint said.

“Come here when Wanda is having her training.” Pietro added. He turned away and leaned against the glass, panting heavily as he tried to calm himself down.

He didn’t think those memories would haunt him anymore, but still they did.


	4. Chapter 4

_Steve touched me._

Clint was right when he guessed that it might have something to do with the pad on the shoulder that Steve gave him.

_They touched me, too. Pushed me onto the ground. They made me run, Clint, they made me…_

How? Did they abused Pietro physically, trying to get him to run at his maximum speed?

_And if I don’t…_

What the hell did they do to the kid to make him fear physical contact like this? Not even from Steve?

If only Clint could get Pietro to open up to him without freaking out, he might be able to fix him.

 

= = = =

 

“You’re back.” Pietro smiled a little when he saw Clint. He sat closer to Clint this time, holding a pillow in his arms like he needed something to cuddle.

“I told you I would be.” Said Clint. “I’m sorry for what happened yesterday. I didn’t know…” “I didn’t know they still affect me, too.” Pietro sighed. “I guess I need someone to talk to, about all this, and Wanda isn’t the suitable candidate. And since it was you who carried me back from Sovokia, I think you deserve to know.”

He looked up at Clint, those electric blue eyes locked with Clint’s. “Would you?”

So Clint sat down.

“It happened in Sovokia. Me and Wanda were the only two who survived the scepter's power. We didn’t realize it was HYDRA behind all these back then. All I ever wanted was to free my country. But even though we survived, the powers that we gained were very unstable, especially Wanda. She was so sensitive. They locked us up in separated cell. While they could not lay their hands on Wanda, she couldn’t stop them from…me.”

“This is why you want to keep it from Wanda? Because you don’t want her to blame herself?” asked Clint.

“I never want her to find out. They took me out, made me run until I collapsed, and forced me to stand up again.” Pietro said.

“What happened if you really can’t?”

“They…tortured me.” Pietro's voice was shaky. “You don’t have to tell me everything.” Clint said, putting a hand on the glass wall as he tried to stop Pietro. He wanted to touch the kid, but realized this would bring agony rather than comfort. “They were breaking me, but they were also breaking Wanda through me. She didn’t know what happened to me, but she could feel the fear and the mental pain. How could I put that pressure on her?”

“We will not do that to you here.” Clint said. “We won’t force you to run faster. Tony…he was only trying to help.”

“I know.” Pietro said. “I’ve seen how you guys act around each other. I would never doubt that, but...” He paused, as if thinking about how he should explain his situation to Clint.

“But you would need time.” Clint said, finished off Pietro’s sentence.

Pietro looked a little bit surprised. “Yes.” His hand touched the cold hard glass. Pietro smiled as he flattened his palm against the glass, against Clint’s hand. He looked up at Clint, and Clint could see that the fear was gone----at least for now. “Thank you for understanding. I didn’t expect you to, but…thank you.”

He felt the heat from Clint’s hand transferring to his through the glass. It was…calming, reassuring, and he knew he could trust the archer not to tell his secret to anyone.

“Maybe next time we can lower down a wall,” Pietro smiled as he pulled back his hand. “Tell Tony that, would you?”

“Sure.” Clint said.


	5. Chapter 5

The next day Clint returned, and Pietro was sitting on his bed, waiting for Clint to join him. “Just…don’t touch me.” Said Pietro, “I don’t think I can control it yet. Didn’t want to freak out and hurt anyone.”

Figuring that talking about how HYDRA tortured him wasn’t the best topic, he asked the kid to talk about his homeland. Pietro had never talked to anyone about this, but he decided to give it a go.

Pietro wasn’t the best storyteller in the world----he used to tell Wanda stories at night so that she could sleep, after the bomb that destroyed their family. But other than Wanda, he had never had a conversation this long with anyone else. He often paused, got lost in thoughts, but Clint was patient and he waited. Pietro couldn’t be more grateful for this.

“Thank you. I couldn’t have done this without you.” Pietro said, and Clint laughed. “You’re welcome.” They didn’t even realize their hands were in contact until Pietro gasped. “No! Wait. Don’t pull back yet.” Said Pietro as Clint was about to break the contact. First it was just the fingertips, and then Pietro pressed his palm against Clint’s. “See? It is working.” said Clint. Pietro just stared at their hands.  
“I trust you.” He said, as he clutched Clint’s hand a little harder. “I get it.” Clint said. “No, you don’t,” Pietro looked up eagerly. “Before, I only had Wanda. I trust her. Now I trust you too. You and Wanda.”  
“I do.” Clint said, taking Pietro’s hand into his own, covering with another. 

= = = =

The next time they talk, Pietro was more at ease. Clint did part of the talking too, filling him in about what happened these days when he hid in the room, and he held Pietro’s hand the whole time, letting him get used to the physical contact.

“I want to tell you something.” Pietro interrupted Clint when he was telling him about the training of Wanda with Natasha. He could feel the nervousness wafting off Pietro. Clint had a feeling that this was a tough one, but all he said was, “Go on.”

“When I said they touched me when I couldn’t run, well, they didn’t just touch.” Clint froze as Pietro finished his sentence. “They didn’t rape me, if that’s what you’re thinking. But they used tools. What’s the difference anyway? They made me want those things that they could never give, sense of security, closeness…and they make me think that I’m not in control of my own body.”  
This confirmed his guesses earlier when all he knew was Pietro was afraid of physical contacts and he was “touched”.  
“This is why you don’t want Wanda to know.” Clint said. He laced their fingers together, holding Pietro’s hand harder to let him know that he was here.  
“Yeah, but it’s a little hard when she can read minds, right?” Pietro said jokingly, but his voice was broken. “I tried to keep them from her. But I cannot keep her away when I had those panic attacks. You must not tell Wanda this, or anyone.” Tears rolled down Pietro’s face, and Clint was a little freaked out, too. “I will never say a word to anyone, I promise.” He wanted to hold the boy in his arms, because he looked so frightened and helpless, and Clint felt it too, because there’s nothing he can do to make Pietro feel better.

Pietro took him by surprise when he wrapped his arms around Clint and buried his head in Clint’s shoulder. “It’s okay.” Clint said, rocking Pietro back and forth. “Look at you, crying all your tears out. So open. You are willing to open up to me. I can’t tell you how happy I am that you trust me.” Pietro snuggled close to him, rubbing his face against Clint’s neck like a kitten. Clint laughed softly as he felt Pietro’s hair brushing against his face. “You are such a cuddle person.” “Well, I haven’t had much experience.” Pietro sighed, taking in Clint’s scent. “We could find out what you like----“ Clint paused as he saw Tony walked out of his laboratory. The computer genius was too caught up in his own thoughts he didn’t see the opened glass room and the other Avenger in it. But then he looked up and locked eyes with Clint. Clint held out a hand just in time to stop Tony’s “What the fuck”. He pointed at Pietro, who still hadn’t let go of him and mouthed to Tony: “I’ll explain later.”  
“You better.” Tony mouthed back, turned on his heels and disappeared into his lab.  
“Look, I will come back tomorrow, okay?” Clint whispered to Pietro and the younger boy nodded. “We will figure out what you like and what you don’t.”


	6. Chapter 6

“That is a glass room! Anybody could have walked in!” Tony said, “What if someone else saw you two in there, doing you-know-what?” He sat on the table with his legs crossed, frowning at the archer.  
“Okay, first, Tony, I wasn’t hooking up with the boy.” Clint sighed.   
“Didn’t say you were.” Tony murmured.   
“I was just trying to help. He couldn’t lock himself down here forever.”  
“And you think you can fix something his witch sister cannot fix?” Tony said. He paused for a moment then continued. “Well, she could be overwhelming sometime. I just don’t know how the hell you got Friday to lie to me.”  
“I didn’t lie, Mr. Stark. Mr. Maximoff asked me not to mention about Mr. Barton if you didn’t ask about his visitors.” Friday retorted. She almost sounded…impatient.  
“Is that just me, or is your AI…having her own feelings now?” asked Clint. Jarvis could understand sarcasm, but he was always so uptight. Friday…she sounded like a real teenage girl.  
“Yeah, I think so, I’ve been working on her for a while now. That witty little shit is going through the rebellious stage now, isn’t she?” Tony said casually, “Don’t try to change the subject. What’s going on between you and that kid?”  
“Umm…I made him talk.” Said Clint. “He wasn’t very comfortable with it first but then he managed to open up.”  
“So opened up that you guys are all up in each other’s space?” said Tony skeptically.  
“I was trying to help him get used to physical contact.” Clint said. Shit. He hoped Tony wasn’t clever enough to ask why Pietro is afraid of physical contact.  
“He’s afraid of Cap, but not you?” asked Tony. He paced around in the lab. “Oh, right. How did I not see that coming?”  
“What?” asked Clint. “You are really confusing me.”  
“You were the first one who met him. You were also the last one who saw him when he died. You literally brought him back from death.” Said Tony, “And I never thought that kid had a crush on you.”  
“Now you are making things up.” Clint said, half laughing.  
“I might have made a guess, but those events did happen. It was scientific.” Tony sighed, “Poor kid, he had no idea how stiff you can be sometimes.”  
“Stop this, Tony.” Clint scowled.  
“If you want to, take the boy out.” Said Tony as he turned back to work on Friday’s settings.  
“What?”  
“It wasn’t me who locked him up. He asked to be there himself. So…it all makes sense that I didn’t put a lock on the room and he can leave anytime.” Tony turned his head and winked at a stunned Clint. “And if anyone asked where he is? Well, I don’t know, it’s not like I have a security camera in the room.”  
“Oh, so now you can lie about Mr. Maximoff and I couldn’t?” Friday grumbled.  
Tony rolled his eyes, “I didn’t lie, Friday. I simply…avoided telling the truth.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this story, Laura and Clint are divorced.

The next day, Clint came in extra early (before anyone would wake up) with a jacket for the boy and two backpacks. Pietro could barely open his eyes when Clint wrapped the jacket around his shoulders, “What are you doing?”

“Sneaking you out.” Clint said, handing him the backpack. Pietro panicked and grabbed his hand, “I can’t!”

“Trust me.” Clint clasped his hand, “I’ll keep you safe. No one is gonna touch you. You’re okay with that?”

“…Yes.” Pietro still sounded unsure, but it was a good start.

 

They went to the rooftop without alerting anyone, though Clint was sure Tony must be watching them through surveillance cameras. “Whoa, wait,” Pietro said as he saw the quinjet. “Where are we going?”

“Somewhere your sister has no knowledge of. There are some people that I think you would like to meet, and no, they are not going to touch you without permission.” Clint said, offering his hand to Pietro. “Are you coming with me?”

_It’s okay._ Pietro took a deep breath. _It’s just meeting new people. No touching._

He put his hand in Clint’s and let the older man pull him up.

“You can take a nap. I’ll wake you when we are close.” Clint said as he sit in the pilot’s chair. “It’s that far away?” asked Pietro. Clint turned his head in Pietro’s direction and smiled. “Well, that’s why it’s a secret.”

 

Pietro was about to drift off to sleep when he heard Clint dialing on his phone. “Who are you calling?” “Reinforcement.” Clint said to Pietro, then quickly turns away as the person on the other side picks up the call. “Hey, Phil? Just in case Natasha asks you where am I, can you tell her…”

The boy fell asleep before Clint finished his sentence.

 

= = = =

 

“A farmhouse?” Pietro asked. “You own this?” “Technically, my ex-wife does. She’s living with the kids.” Clint said.

“You guys are still friends?” Pietro asked.

“Pretty much. We thought that we could work it out when I joined S.H.I.E.L.D.. I brought her this place to keep her safe and made sure it’s off record. She’s not okay with how little time I spend with her and the kids, but she couldn’t talk me out of my job. Eventually we got divorced. The Avengers visited her during the battle when they need a safe house.” _Sure, a day at a farmhouse isn’t the best first date activity, but it’s one of the safest place on Earth._

“You said there are kids.” Pietro said. “Just two. Cooper and Lila.” Clint said. “Think you can handle two kids?”

“Yeah.” Pietro looked more relaxed. Clint put an arm around his shoulders and they walked in.

 

“Clint!” A woman in an apron ran out, followed by a boy and a girl. She took off the apron as she spoke. “You are here with your friends again?”

“Friend.” Clint said. “Laura, this is Pietro. Pietro, Laura.” Pietro didn’t offer Laura his hand, and Clint still kept him behind his back, which should be rude but something else occupied Laura’s mind. “Pietro…the one who joined the Avengers after the battle in Sokovia?” Pietro raised an eyebrow. He didn’t know Clint tells his ex-wife about him.  “Yeah.” Clint said, kissing the two kids on the forehead.

“We just had breakfast.” Lila said. “Do you want some?” She turned her head to Pietro as she asked. “Um…no thanks.” Pietro said. He knew she wouldn’t be able to touch him anyway, but he has never talked to kids before.

“Why don’t you let the kids show Uncle Pete around while we talk?” Laura said to Clint. She pointed at the dishes on the table as he was about to say no. “You can help me with the cleaning.”

“Sure.” Clint rolled his eyes.

 

= = = =

 

“You are overly protective.” Laura said, collecting dishes from the table. “You didn’t take your hands off him the whole time.”

“No, you don’t understand. He has got really serious PDSD. Fainted a few days ago when Steve Rogers touched his shoulder.” Clint explained.

“Yet he lets you touch him?” Laura raised an eyebrow. “We are…kind of close.” Clint said. “Yeah, sure, he died for you once, didn’t he?” Laura said. She smiled as she took the dishes to the sink.

“Why do you and Tony say the same thing?” Clint said, covering his face with his hands. “Course we are both smarter than you?” Laura smirks, passing him a dish. “That still doesn’t explain why your hands are glued to him.”

“I’m trying to let him get used to physical contact.” Clint scrubbed the dish hard, expressing the annoyance of being questioned.

“Yeah, sure.” Laura said.

“That’s the second time you say that, Laura.” Clint grumbled.

“Just helping him to get used to it? Nothing else is on your mind? Natasha would be disappointed.”

“Natasha doesn’t know.” Clint bit his tongue right after he realized what he has said out loud.

“It’s okay.” Laura smiled, tossing Clint a towel. “We’ve been best friends for as long as I can remember. Our marriage didn’t work but that doesn’t mean I stop caring for you. I know what it’s like when you like someone.”

 _Liking someone doesn’t mean the same thing as loving someone,_ Clint wanted to argue. _He has always liked Pietro, as a friend, as a fellow Avenger._ But he better not argue with Laura, because from his knowledge, Laura would get him to spill everything out and force him down on his knees to propose to Pietro before sunset.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for being away for a while. Has to deal with some family issues. Will try to finish this asap.


	8. Chapter 8

Pietro nearly gave Clint a heart attack when he ran into the house with two kids hanging on his arms, giggling and laughing and asking him to go faster. He didn’t expect Pietro to get alone with the kids, let alone allowing them touch him. But the smile on Pietro’s face has him convinced. Laura grinned as if she had seen this coming, and she pushed Clint out of the kitchen to join the kids.

Lila and Cooper were thrilled by Pietro’s presence, not only because he would let them take the “Quicksilver ride”, but because he was the first Avenger they really get to know beside Aunt Nat. During their last visit the world’s mightiest heroes were too busy tracking down a robot with God-complex, they didn’t spend much time with the kids. While having lunch Cooper made Pietro tell them about the battle of Sokovia, and Clint wouldn’t let him skip the part where Pietro pushed him and the boy away from the bullets. Cooper looked at Pietro with admiring gaze, and Lila ran across the table just to whisper in her father’s ear, “I still think you are the coolest.”

They sat on a bench for the rest of the day, Pietro leaning against Clint, watching Lila and Cooper feeding chickens.

“This is a life that I’ve never had.” Pietro said, and Clint can feel his warm breath on his skin. He didn’t know what to say, just put an arm around Pietro’s shoulder. He felt Pietro leaning closer to him.

“Maybe I can have that life too. In the future, I mean.” Pietro’s lips were almost touching Clint’s neck. Clint wondered if Pietro meant having that life with him. He turned his head to look at the kid, and Pietro looked up at the same time. He couldn’t help but noticed the boy’s lips, red and swollen because he bit them when he was nervous.

The boy closed his eyes. Clint listened to the rhythm of Pietro breathing, and he didn’t wake him up until it’s time to go home.

 

= = = =

 

The Avengers were gathered in the dining hall.

“Stark, you must know where my brother is.” Wanda said. Her eyes were red and Tony might feel a little bit sorry for her, but he honestly had no idea where Clint took the boy.

“Where’s Clint? Does he have anything to do with this?” Steve asked. “At Coulson’s.” Natasha said, “Phil asked him to help with some S.H.I.E.L.D. stuff. I called Phil earlier and confirmed. So…I don’t think so.”

“This place is yours, and it has the top security system in the whole universe. You are telling me that he just…got out without you knowing?” Wanda asked. “Sorry to say that, but I don’t trust you.”

“Well, I put him in the room and you were upset. Now he’s out and you are blaming me for not putting a lock on the door?” Tony said.

Steve put his hand on Tony’s shoulder reassuringly. “Is there anything we can do?”

“Maybe. I’m having Friday picking up images from the internet and see if we could find the boy.” Tony said, “What do we have now, Friday?”

“Nothing so far, sir.” Answered the girl.

“Well, if he is running at his maximum speed he is invisible to us, right?” Tony said, “That could explain why.”

“Why would he want to run away?” Wanda asked, “Did he tell you? You must know something, Stark.”

“Umm…”

“I think Tony already said he doesn’t know.” Steve said. Natasha glanced at him and his hand that’s still on Tony’s shoulder. Steve looked away with a faint blush staining his cheeks.

“What I was going to say is…why don’t you ask him yourself?” Tony said as he turned his head to the door.

“Miss. Maximoff, Mr. Maximoff and Mr. Barton just entered the building. They are in the lift right now.” Friday said.

“What?” Wanda exclaimed as she rushed to the door.

 

= = = =

“You think they are gonna be mad?” Pietro asked nervously. “At me, maybe, but definitely not at you.” Clint smiled. The door of the lift opened and Wanda bumped into her brother, throwing her arms around him. “I’m okay now, sis.” Pietro said, and Wanda let go, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. Natasha walked over and gave Pietro a pat on the shoulder. She then punched Clint in the face but he dodged in time. “Ouch!” Clint gave a fake cry. “That’s for lying to me with Coulson.” 

Bruce Banner shook Pietro’s hand. Steve didn’t know what to do but Pietro gave him a hug.

“Hey, it took me three days to get to this stage!” Clint said, and Pietro laughed. “It’s like hugging someone’s grandpa.” The kid blinked innocently, “Sorry, Cap!”

Steve looked a little bit embarrassed and Tony smiled approvingly at Pietro. “Well said, son.” Tony raised his hand and gave him five.

Clint watched Pietro the whole time. The kid was handling this well.

Then Pietro turned around and opened his arms. “Oh, okay,” Clint laughed, thinking that he wanted a hug. Pietro’s hands cupped his face instead and pulled him in for a kiss. He could hear the other Avengers gasping.

 

“So…you did know where they went.” Steve sighed.

“Well, I didn’t want to ruin a surprise.” The corner of Tony’s mouth turned up. _No, he didn’t know where they went exactly, but he knew it was a date._

 

**[END]**

**Author's Note:**

> Another story has ended, and I must say the ending is rather rushed. I may revisit this story after In the Heat of the Moment is finished.


End file.
